TiP iPhone App Review: Line2

Line2 got a lot of buzz from David Pogue, New York Times technology guru and hardcore iPhone user, as well as Entrepreneur, Mashable and others.

So why does everyone think this VOIP app is so amazing? Alex decides to check it out. ﻿(For more on how Line2 and how it compares to, say, Google Voice, scroll down below the vid.) ﻿

So how does Line2 compare with Google Voice? It’s very similar, but there are some key differences. Here’s a quick rundown:

GV:

Google Voice is primarily a free phone redirection service. Users can call and text via a single GV phone number from the web, mobile or landline phones. (On phones, you’d dial the GV number first, then get a menu that lets you call outward with your GV number showing up in caller IDs. Third-party apps like GV Mobile+ and GV Connect enable users to make the call right from their iPhones, and the application handles the routing process.) Inbound calls and SMS messages to your GV number get forwarded to any phone you want, landline or cell.

Voice mails are transcribed. (Numbers and addresses tend to be fine, but for everything else, the resulting transcription tends to be kind of laughable﻿.)

Free SMS texts through one of the Google Voice apps or the web app.

Google also has an official app that has reportedly been approved for the App Store, so it should be on the way.

Really cheap international calls through the GV service.

The iPhone apps work with your phone’s address book or Google Contacts.

Multiple customizable greetings, depending on who’s calling you — whether from work group, personal group or other grouped contacts.

There is no push notifications yet, though the current developers say it’s in the works.

Line2:

Line2 is a VOIP service (voice over internet protocol) that offers a second phone number that will work much like the current iPhone number you already have. The Line2 phone number is like having another carrier provided phone number that goes straight to your iPhone (or iPod Touch or iPad).

Dual-Mode (Wifi/cellular), for broader coverage

Separate visual voicemail

﻿Call waiting and call transfer

The app costs nothing, but the service is $9.95/month (after a free 30-day trial)

Unlimited VOIP calls and texts to contacts in the U.S. and Canada

Inexpensive international rates

Conferencing support, for calls with as many as 20 contacts.

Interestingly, there are an increasing number of people who are using both services in tandem, to get the free call redirection and other features from GV, along with the business-level services of Line2. Are you using either of these services? Or a different VOIP provider? Share your thoughts in the comments, and let us know which one you rely on most.